The Multiverse Hunter

Venom let out an ear-splitting roar, his massive, grotesque body pulsating with rage as he ripped his elongated claws into the asphalt, sending thick tendrils of symbiotic matter surging through the ground. The black tendrils snaked and pulsed, corrupting the very street beneath them, spreading like a living virus toward Ali with monstrous intent.

Ali remained still, his stance unwavering, his black eyes watching the approaching wave of tendrils with an eerie calmness.

CRACK.

The ground beneath him split apart as the first set of tendrils exploded upward, jagged and razor-sharp, aiming to impale him.

Ali moved.

In one fluid motion, he leapt from the ground, twisting in midair as his boots found purchase against the vertical surface of a nearby skyscraper. Without hesitation, he began running up the wall, his movements smooth and calculated, gravity momentarily defied by sheer speed and agility.

But Venom wasn't done.

"RAAAAAAAAH!"

The symbiote extended both monstrous arms into the pavement again, the living darkness surging once more as dozens of spiked tendrils erupted from the ground, racing after Ali.

The wall behind him shattered with every attack, jagged stone and debris raining down as the vicious tendrils chased him relentlessly.

Ali, mid-run, pushed off the wall with explosive force, twisting his body in midair to dive directly toward Venom, the red glow of his lightsaber igniting in his grasp.

Venom's grotesque mouth unhinged wider than any human jaw should, his massive teeth dripping with thick saliva as he prepared to bite Ali in half.

'Amateur…'

Ali's blade spun, the bright red energy slicing through the darkness.

SLASH.

The first arm was severed at the shoulder, the burning plasma melting straight through the symbiotic flesh like butter.

SLASH.

The second arm followed a split second later, a clean cut tearing through the monstrous appendage, severing both the alien limbs and the human host's arms in one stroke.

Venom's howl of agony shook the air, his massive, clawed fingers disintegrating into useless stumps as black ichor sprayed from the fresh wounds.

But Ali didn't stop.

Still midair, he angled his descent, twisting his wrist to bring the blade downward—

SLASH!

A single, merciless strike tore through Venom's head, splitting it cleanly down the centre from crown to throat. The monstrous, white-eyed face barely had time to process its impending death before its gruesome skull split apart, the molten heat cauterising the flesh as it fell away from its shoulders.

Ali landed smoothly beside the beheaded corpse, his gaze indifferent as the headless body remained upright for a moment, its remaining mass twitching violently.

He didn't wait for it to collapse.

SLASH.

A quick flick of his wrist sent the blade slicing through the thick symbiote neck, fully severing it from the shoulders.

SLASH.

One leg came off.

SLASH.

Then the other.

Still not done, Ali hurled his lightsaber at the corpse's midsection, using the Force to make it spin at an inhuman velocity, the rotating energy blade shredding through Venom's torso like a blender.

The remains of what was once Venom were now nothing more than a smoking pile of burnt flesh, the last remnants of the symbiote dissipating into the air.

Ali called his lightsaber back, deactivating it with a flick of his fingers before sending it into his inventory.

He glanced down at his boots, annoyed at the black ichor clinging to the leather. He scraped his shoe against the pavement, ridding himself of the last of the grime before looking up.

Evelyn was still sitting on the edge of the rooftop, her long legs casually crossed, a smirk playing on her lips.

"You wanna eat it?" Ali called up.

Evelyn let out a sultry chuckle, her form dissolving into a swirl of black smoke as she descended gracefully, shifting seamlessly into her sleek feline form before landing softly on the pavement. In a fluid motion, she transformed back into her human self, standing before Ali with her arms folded.

"It's devour, not eat," she corrected him, rolling her golden eyes. "That would be disgusting."

Ali watched as she lifted a hand, her fingertips glowing with dark energy. The remains of Venom shrivelled and contorted, the residual alien matter twisting violently before being sucked into Evelyn's palm.

She exhaled softly, closing her eyes for a moment. "Not much, but I appreciate it… Not many players would help someone else get stronger for free."

Ali said nothing, his black eyes studying her.

Evelyn tilted her head slightly. "Do you want something in return?" She took a step closer, the subtle scent of jasmine and nightshade reaching Ali's heightened senses.

He didn't answer immediately, instead letting his gaze flicker down—taking in the delicate curve of her neck, the smoothness of her exposed collarbone, the way her fitted black coat accentuated her shape.

'I'm going to fuck her. But not now.'

"What are your missions?" he asked instead, his voice steady.

Evelyn's lips curled into an amused smile as she leaned back, playing along.

"Other than finding the lab? It's to kill the head scientist, and eliminate two mutants—which I've already done."

'Three missions… Lucky,' Ali mused.

"My mission was simple," he said. "Defeat an Avenger."

Evelyn's eyes flickered with realisation. "Then it seems you've already completed it." She gestured toward the wreckage of their battlefield.

Ali nodded.

"You want to come with me to the lab?" Evelyn offered.

Ali raised an eyebrow. "You know where it is?"

"No," she admitted. "But I know a group who might. All we have to do is follow them.", Ali considered it.

"It's better for you to go alone," he decided. "I've got too much heat on me right now."

Evelyn didn't argue, but she was surprised when Ali suddenly stepped forward, lifting his hand to tilt her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I'm taking you out for dinner when we get back to Paradise," Ali said smoothly.

Evelyn arched an eyebrow but bit her lip, intrigued.

"I look forward to it," she whispered.

Ali smirked—his first real expression of emotion—before releasing her and stepping back. Without another word, he ascended, using the Force to propel himself onto a nearby rooftop before disappearing into the shadows.

Meanwhile, Elsewhere in New York…

Two blacked-out SUVs drove through the empty streets, carefully maintaining their distance behind a truck transporting a shipment from the docks.

Inside the first SUV, Julie sat in the passenger seat, her expression unreadable. Her massive sword, too large to fit in the backseat properly, rested beside her.

She never sent it to her inventory.

The driver—a young woman with sharp eyes—kept a firm grip on the wheel.

"Be careful not to alert them," Julie murmured, her voice quiet but firm.

Her comrade nodded, her focus unwavering.

Julie let her fingers trail over the hilt of her sword, feeling the cold metal beneath her touch. She turned toward the open window, the cool New York air running through her pink hair as she pulled up her interface.

"Kill the Hydra subjects (0/4)"

"Kill the Hydra Laboratory head (0/1)"

"Destroy the Hydra Laboratory"

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